Image processing apparatus, and control method and program of the same

ABSTRACT

It is intended to provide an image composition apparatus, a control method and program of an image processing apparatus which, when a user wants to combine a photo image and a handwritten image, even if the image processing apparatus is used for other purposes or even if the power of the image processing apparatus is turned off while the user is creating the handwritten image, enables the user to subsequently resume the image composition work.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, andcontrol method and program of the image processing apparatus.

2. Related Background Art

In recent years, as photo image input devices such as digital cameras orcolor scanners and image output devices such as color printers becomeincreasingly popular and sophisticated, a variety of ways of usingdigital photo images have been proposed. Pictures are often not onlysimply printed on a recording sheet of paper as they are taken, but usedafter being processed and edited in many ways. The proposed usagesinclude, for example, writing a message in a photo image and sending itas a letter, or writing a title or an illustration in a photo image andfixing it in an album.

For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H09-139832proposes a method in which, if a user wants to add a message or anillustration by hand to a photo image input from an image input device,the user writes the message or the illustration by hand on a separatesheet of paper from the input photo image, and the handwritten image isread by a reading apparatus and combined with the photo image.

In doing such image composition, there is a desire to further edit aphoto image in various ways, for example, by executing a trimmingprocess to cut out part of the photo image, by executing a correctionprocess to the photo image, or by adding a decorative pattern such as aframe or a stamp to the photo image, and to add a message or anillustration to the edited picture by hand, instead of using the photoimage as it is.

As means to fulfill the desire, a method may be employed for displayingand editing a photo image using a display unit and an operation panelprovided in an image composition apparatus, and combining the resultingedited photo image with a handwritten image which is written on aseparate sheet of paper and read by a reading apparatus.

In the above described example of the prior art, however, there is aproblem that, if a user wants to write a message or an illustration byhand in the edited photo image so that it is positioned in thebackground area other than the person appearing as the subject, forexample, the user cannot recognize, during the creation of a handwrittenimage such as a message or an illustration, in what positionalrelationship the handwritten image will be superimposed on the photoimage if they are combined.

Furthermore, since the editing information, such as a trimming position,a correction parameter or a decorative pattern, designated by the useris required at the time when a composition process is executed after thehandwritten image has been read by the reading apparatus, the editinginformation must be stored within the apparatus until the user createsthe handwritten image and completes the reading operation. Therefore,there is another problem that the image processing apparatus cannot beused for other purposes, and neither can be turned off while the user iscreating the handwritten image.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to be able to recognize, incombining a photo image and a handwritten image, the positionalrelationship between the photo image and the handwritten image afterthey are combined, at the time of writing the handwritten image by handon a sheet of paper.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an imageprocessing apparatus, and control method and program of the imageprocessing apparatus which, even if the image processing apparatus isused for other purposes or even if the power of the image processingapparatus is turned off while a user is creating a handwritten image,enables the user to subsequently resume the image composition work.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of an imagecomposition apparatus (image processing apparatus) 100 according to afirst embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 shows an original sheet SH1 in the first embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a flow chart illustrating processing operations executed by aCPU 2 of the image composition apparatus 100 in printing the originalsheet SH1 in the first embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a flow chart illustrating processing operations of the CPU 2for reading a filled original sheet SH1, combining a photo image PI anda handwritten image 51, and printing the combined image in the firstembodiment; and

FIG. 5 shows an example composition result output 70 in the firstembodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS First Embodiment

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of an imagecomposition apparatus (image processing apparatus) 100 according to afirst embodiment of the present invention.

The image composition apparatus 100 includes a CPU 2, an internal bus 3,a program memory 4, a data memory 5, a reading control unit 6, a readingmechanism 7, a data converting unit 9, a recording control unit 11, aprint recording mechanism 12, an operation panel 16, a memory cardcontrol unit 17, an interface control unit 19, an interface 20, and acommunication control unit 22.

The data memory 5 includes a reading buffer memory 8, printing buffermemory 10, and an image memory 13. The operation panel 16 includes adisplay unit 14 and an operation unit 15.

The CPU 2 is in the form of a microprocessor, and operates according toa control program stored in the program memory 4 in the form of a ROMconnected via the internal bus 3 and the content of the data memory 5 inthe form of a RAM. The CPU 2 activates the reading mechanism 7 throughthe reading control unit 6 and stores an original image data read by animage sensor (not shown) provided in the reading mechanism 7 in thereading buffer memory 8 in the data memory 5.

The original image data stored in the reading buffer memory 8 is readout and converted into print recording data by the data converting unit9, and then stored in the printing buffer memory 10 in the data memory5. The CPU 2 achieves a copying operation by activating the printrecording mechanism 12 through the recording control unit 11, readingout the print recording data stored in the printing buffer memory 10 andsending it to the print recording mechanism 12 to cause a printrecording operation onto a recording medium to take place.

The data memory 5 is provided with the image memory 13 which allowsvarious types of image data, in addition to the original image data readby the reading mechanism 7, to be temporarily stored and edited.

In addition to the copying operation, printing of photo images andothers may also be achieved by reading out the image data stored in theimage memory 13 and converting it into print recording data by the dataconverting unit 9 and causing a print recording operation to take place.

Note that the reading buffer memory 8, the printing buffer memory 10,and the image memory 13 on the data memory 5 are controlled by the CPU 2to dynamically change and assign the capacity allocation among themdepending on the operation status such as mode of operations or userpreferences.

The image composition apparatus 100 is provided with the operation panel16 including the display unit 14 such as an LED or LCD and the operationunit 15 of various types of keys, which can be used for various types ofinput operations by an operator and the indication of the operationstatus.

The memory card control unit 17 controls access to the memory card 18which is a data recording medium, and reads/writes image data, etc.stored in the memory card 18. This reads out photo image data stored inthe memory card 18, which is then stored in the image memory 13,converted into print recording data, and recorded by printing.

The interface control unit 19 performs the communication control of theinterface 20 and transmits and receives data from/to an externalapparatus 21 connected to the outside. By connecting a personal computeras the external apparatus 21, print recording data created by a printerdriver running on the computer may be received and recorded by printing,or by connecting a digital camera or other devices, photo image data maybe read out, stored in the image memory 13, converted into printrecording data, and recorded by printing.

The communication control unit 22 is composed of a MODEM, an NCU(Network Control Unit) or the like, and connected to an analogcommunication line 23 to control communications and perform line controloperations such as outgoing and incoming calls from/to the communicationline.

FIG. 2 shows an original sheet SH1 in the first embodiment.

The original sheet SH1 includes a various settings area 30, a referenceimage area 40, a handwritten area 50 and a bar-code BC.

The various settings area 30 is printed at the top of the original sheetSH1 and allows a user to select settings for composition result printingby filling in a mark 31, 32 or 33 provided here. In other words, marksfor sheet size selection 31, 32, and 33 are provided within the varioussettings area 30 on the original sheet SH1, and the user can select asheet size of a recording medium on which the composition result isprinted by filling an appropriate mark.

The reference image area 40 is provided under the various settings area30 on the original sheet SH1 to print a reference image 41. Thereference image 41 is an image corresponding to a photo image PIselected by the user. The reference image 41 is also an imagerepresenting the result of the same trimming process and the framecomposition as applied to the final output form (FIG. 5) of thecorresponding photo image PI.

The handwritten area 50 is provided under the reference image area 40 onthe original sheet SH1 and is the same size as the reference image area40, and the user can write a handwritten image 51 in this handwrittenarea 50 using any writing instrument.

The bar-code BC is also provided on the original sheet SH1, in whichimage identification information, such as an image number and an imagefile name for identifying the photo image PI selected by the user, isembedded and printed as data. In the bar-code BC, image editinginformation designated by the user is also embedded and printed asadditional information. The reading mechanism 7 of the image compositionapparatus 100 obtains the data embedded in the bar-code BC by readingthe bar-code BC and analyzing the read image.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart illustrating processing operations executed bythe CPU 2 of the image composition apparatus 100 in printing theoriginal sheet SH1 in the first embodiment.

This processing is executed if a user selects “printing of originalsheet” while viewing a menu displayed on the operation panel 16 byoperating the operation panel 16.

First, the CPU 2, in S1, allows the user to select one of the photoimages PI stored in the memory card 18. In this case, the photo image PImay be selected by displaying the photo images PI stored in the memorycard 18 in turn on the display unit 14 and monitoring the key operationin the operation unit 15.

Then, in S2, the CPU 2 allows the user to designate trimming for cuttingout part of the photo image PI selected in S1. In this case, thetrimming may be designated by, for example, using the operation panel 16to designate the top left and the bottom right corners of a rectanglefor trimming.

In S3, the CPU 2 allows the user to select one of a plurality of framesfrom frame data. The frame data is a kind of image file storedpreviously in the program memory 4 in a predetermined format andincludes decorative frame-like patterns like, and the decorativeframe-like pattern can be added to the photo image by superimposing thedecorative frame-like pattern on the photo image PI.

After getting the photo image PI, the trimming and the frame informationdesignated in the above processes S1 to S3, the CPU 2 allows the user tostart printing of the original sheet SH1 in S4. The CPU 2 reads out thephoto image PI selected in S1 from the memory card 18 (S4), executes thetrimming process based on the trimming information set in S2 (S5), readsout the frame data designated in S3 from the program memory 4 andcombines the frame data with the result of S5, and obtains the referenceimage 40 data (S6).

In S7, the CPU 2 creates bar-code BC data based on the imageidentification information designated in S1, the trimming informationset in S2, and the frame information designated in S3.

In S8, the CPU 2 combines the reference image 40 obtained in S4 to S6,the bar-code BC data obtained in S7, and data for printing varioussettings area 30 previously stored in the program memory 4 to createprinting data of the original sheet SH1. The original sheet SH1 isprinted by controlling the print recording mechanism 12 based on thiscreated printing data (S9).

FIG. 4 is a flow chart illustrating the processing operations of the CPU2 for reading the filled original sheet SH1, combining the photo imagePI and the handwritten image 51, and printing the combined image in thefirst embodiment.

This processing is executed if the user selects “original sheetreading-composite printing” in the menu displayed on the operation panel16.

The image composition apparatus 100 controls the reading mechanism 7 toread the original sheet SH1 and yield the image data of the originalsheet SH1 in S11. The selection information of the sheet size isobtained by cutting out the various settings area 30 from the read imagedata of the original sheet SH1 and analyzing which of the marks 31, 32and 33 is filled in (S12).

In S13, the CPU 2 obtains the image identification information, theframe information and the trimming information by cutting out thebar-code BC part from the image data of the read original sheet SH1 andanalyzing the bar-code BC data.

In S14, the CPU 2 cuts out the image of the handwritten area 50 from theimage data of the original sheet SH1 read in S11 to yield the data ofthe handwritten image. In S15, the CPU 2 reads out a photo image PIidentical to the photo image selected by the user in S1 from the memorycard 18 based on the image identification information obtained byanalyzing the bar-code BC data in S13.

In S16, the CPU 2 applies the trimming process to the photo image PIobtained in S15 based on the trimming information obtained in S13 byanalyzing the bar-code BC data.

In S17, the CPU 2 reads out the frame data from the program memory 4based on the frame information obtained by analyzing the bar-code BCdata and superimposes the frame data on the trimmed photo image PIobtained in S16.

In S18, the CPU 2 combines the handwritten image data cut out in S14 andthe edited photo image PI data obtained in S17 to produce combined imagedata. In S19, the CPU enlarges/reduces the combined image data based onthe sheet size selection information obtained in S12, and in S20, printsthe combined image on a sheet of paper by controlling the printrecording mechanism 12.

FIG. 5 shows an example composition result output 70 in the firstembodiment.

As shown in FIG. 5, the handwritten image 51 written in the handwrittenarea 50 is superimposed upon the edited photo image PIa resulting fromthe image editing process on the photo image PI, and the combined imageis enlarged/reduced to match the selected sheet size from the sheet sizeselection marks 31, 32, and 33 in the various settings area 30, and theenlarged/reduced image is output onto a recording medium PP.

According to the first embodiment, since the user can view the referenceimage 41 resulting from the same trimming process and the framecomposition as applied to the final output form of the photo image whenthe user writes the handwritten image 51 in the handwritten area 50 ofthe original sheet SH1, the user can write the handwritten image 51 withrecognizing the positional relationship when it is superimposed on thephoto image.

Also, according to the first embodiment, since the image identificationinformation identifying the photo image PI selected by the user andadditional information is recorded on the original sheet SH1 as abar-code BC and do not need to be stored within the image compositionapparatus 100, the image composition apparatus 100 can be used for otherpurposes while the user is creating a handwritten image 51, and theimage composition work can be subsequently resumed even if the imagecomposition apparatus 100 is turned off.

Second Embodiment

Although the first embodiment uses the trimming information and theframe information as the additional information, only one of thetrimming information and the frame information may also be used as theadditional information. This has the same advantage as in the firstembodiment.

Image correction parameters for changing the lightness, color tone, etc.of the photo image PI may also be used as the additional information.

Although in the first embodiment, the print recording mechanism 12records the result of the composition in the recording medium PP byprinting, the result of the composition may also be displayed on thedisplay unit 14 of the operation panel 16 so that the user can view it.The result of the composition may also be written and saved in arecording medium such as the memory card 18. Further, the abovedescribed result of the composition may also be transferred through thecommunication line 23 or the interface 20 to other devices. This has thesame advantage as in the first embodiment. In this case, the resultingcombined image may be edited in the other devices as described above.

Note that the above described embodiments may also be considered as aninvention of a program. In other words, the above described embodimentsare an example of a program that causes an image processing apparatus toexecute an original sheet printing procedure of printing an originalsheet containing a reference image area in which a reference image isprinted, a handwritten area in which a handwritten image to be combinedwith a photo image corresponding to the reference image is written byhand by a user, and a bar-code in which image identification informationidentifying the photo image or additional information associated withthe photo image is written, a handwritten image reading procedure ofreading the handwritten image written in the handwritten area andoutputting the data of the handwritten image, a bar-code readingprocedure of reading and analyzing the bar-code and outputting the imageidentification information identifying the photo image or the additionalinformation associated with the photo image, and a combining procedureof combining the photo image data detected based on the imageidentification information written in the bar-code and the handwrittenimage data output in the handwritten image reading procedure.

According to the present invention, since image identificationinformation identifying a photo image and associated additionalinformation is converted into a bar-code and placed and printed on anoriginal sheet, and the image editing process may be applied to thephoto image based on the image identification information and theadditional information embedded in the bar-code at the time when theoriginal sheet is read by the reading means and the composition processtakes place after the user has written a handwritten image by hand inthe handwritten image area of the original sheet, there is an advantagethat the result of the image editing designation such as imagecorrection or trimming made by the user before the printing of theoriginal sheet can be reflected as is at the time of the compositionprocess.

Furthermore, according to the present invention, since, when a photoimage input from the image input means is placed and printed as areference image on the original sheet, the result of editing the photoimage based on the same additional information as the additionalinformation embedded in the bar-code is printed as the reference image,and a user can make reference to the result of the image editing processsuch as image correction or trimming at the time of writing ahandwritten image on the handwritten image area of the original sheet,there is an advantage that the user can write the handwritten image onthe original sheet with visually recognizing the finished image.

This application claims priority from Japanese Patent Application No.2005-187559 filed Jun. 28, 2005, which is hereby incorporated byreference herein.

1. An image processing apparatus comprising: printing means for printingan original sheet containing (1) a handwritten area in which ahandwritten image is to be combined with a desired image and to behandwritten by a user, and (2) a code in which identificationinformation identifying the desired image or additional informationassociated with the desired image is written; reading means for readingsaid original sheet; analyzing means for analyzing said code; andcombining means for combining data corresponding to the desired imageand data corresponding to the handwritten image read by said readingmeans based on the result of analyzing said code by said analyzingmeans.
 2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, whereinsaid original sheet further contains a reference image area in which thedesired image is printed, and wherein said printing means prints saidoriginal sheet containing said reference image area, said handwrittenarea and said code.
 3. The image processing apparatus according to claim1, wherein said additional information is decorative pattern typeselected by the user to add to the desired image.
 4. The imageprocessing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said additionalinformation is the parameters associated with image processingdesignated to the desired image by the user.
 5. The image processingapparatus according to claim 1, wherein said additional information istrimming information about a partial region of the desired image to becut out designated by the user.
 6. The image processing apparatusaccording to claim 2, wherein the reference image is an image resultingfrom editing the desired image based on said additional information. 7.A control method for image processing apparatus, comprising: a printingstep of printing an original sheet containing (1) a handwritten area inwhich a handwritten image is to be combined with a desired image and tobe handwritten by a user, and (2) a code in which identificationinformation identifying the desired image or additional informationassociated with the desired image is written; a reading step of readingsaid original sheet; an analyzing step of analyzing said code; and acombining step of combining data corresponding to the desired image anddata corresponding to the handwritten image read in said reading stepbased on the result of analyzing said code in said analyzing step.
 8. Aprogram causing an image processing apparatus to execute: a printingprocedure of printing an original sheet containing a handwritten area inwhich (1) a handwritten area in which a handwritten image is to becombined with a desired image and to be handwritten by a user, and (2) acode in which identification information identifying the desired imageor additional information associated with the desired image is written;a reading procedure of reading said original sheet; an analyzingprocedure of analyzing said code; and a combining procedure of combiningdata corresponding to the desired image and data corresponding to thehandwritten image read in said reading procedure based on the result ofanalyzing said code in said analyzing procedure.
 9. An original sheetcontaining: a handwritten area in which a handwritten image to becombined with a desired image is handwritten by a user; and a code inwhich identification information identifying the desired image oradditional information associated with the desired image is written. 10.The original sheet according to claim 9, further containing a referenceimage area in which the desired image is printed.
 11. The original sheetaccording to claim 10, wherein said reference image area and saidhandwritten area are almost the same in size, and said handwritten areais printed in close proximity to said reference image area.
 12. Theoriginal sheet according to claim 9, wherein said additional informationis decorative pattern type selected by the user to add to the desiredimage.
 13. The original sheet according to claim 9, wherein saidadditional information is the parameters associated with or imageprocessing designated to the desired image by the user.
 14. The originalsheet according to claim 9, wherein said additional information istrimming information about a partial region of the desired image to becut out designated by the user.
 15. The original sheet according toclaim 10, wherein the reference image is an image resulting from editingthe desired image based on said additional information.